This paper presents the design, manufacturing and experimental assessment of a morphing element consisting of a composite corrugated panel that hosts a diffused actuation system based on Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators. The characterisation of the SMA actuators is reported and the system performance is predicted through an analytical model and finite element analyses. Two versions of the actuated system are proposed, with different methods for the physical integration of the SMA wires into the composite part. Manufacturing and testing of specimens with different wire densities are reported. Correlation with experiments validates the analytical and numerical approaches adopted for the design and analyses. The results confirm the potential of the concept proposed for developing corrugated panels that can be contracted in a predefined direction by a load-bearing actuation system, but still retain high stiffness and strength properties in other directions.

We are interested in the energetic cost of a martensitic inclusion of volume V in austenite for the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transformation. In contrast with the work of Knüpfer, Kohn and Otto (Commun. Pure Appl. Math.66 (2013), 867–904), we consider a domain with a corner and obtain a better scaling law for the minimal energy (Emin ∼ min(V2/3, V7/9)). Our predictions are in good agreement with physical experiments where nucleation of martensite is usually observed near the corners of the specimen.

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are good candidates especially for being used as passivedampers. In order to develop the use of these alloys in structural vibrations control, thedynamical behavior of a NiTi helical spring is led, and the damping effect investigated.First, compression tests on the spring are carried out. These tests allow us to notice theeffect of the maximal compression displacement, the cyclic behavior and the compressionrate on its mechanical behavior. A finite element model analysis of the compression testsis then proposed. In consequence, the materials parameters have been identified after anumerical convergence test. In order to characterize the dynamical behavior of the spring,the innovative tool called equivalent complex stiffness is developed and used. Finally,the one degree of freedom vibration equation is solved with this equivalent complexstiffness. The solution of this equation clearly shows the non linear dynamical behaviorof the SMA spring and its damping potential.

The usual process to produce NiTi shape memory alloys is vacuum induction melting (VIM). Currently a new alternative process to produce NiTi shape memory alloys by rapid solidification structures called Melt Spinning has been studied. In this work, results of ribbons with a chemical composition Ti-55.2 Ni (wt %) alloy prepared by this method are presented. The ribbons are prepared at two different linear velocities: 30 m/s and 50 m/s. After that, samples are heat treated at 350 °C during 1 hour. The alloys are characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction. According to the cycled DSC test, transformation peaks are associated with the B2→R→B19´ transformation during cooling and B19´→R→B2 during heating, showing transformation in multi-peaks. The martensite B19´ start (Ms) is varying from 35 to 39°C and the martensite finish (Mf) from 15 to 21°C, 42-47°C for austenite B2 start (As) and 65-69°C for austenite finish (Af) approximately. All analyzed ribbons show very similar values of transformation hysteresis temperatures at 50% of transformation of around 28°C. In order to change solidification rate, linear velocity is varied during the melt spinning process. Results indicate that linear velocity affects directly the temperature of transformation. When the linear velocity is increasing, crystallographic Ti-rich precipitates are developed, but dendritic growth disappears, changing the microstructure and decreasing these transformation temperatures. Then changes in linear velocity can dramatically affect shape memory properties, and in this case a velocity of 50 m/s produces a more homogenous alloy.

Many unresolved issues remain in the field of modelling of shape memory alloys. In this paper the problem of unequal elastic properties of austenite and martensite is addressed. We propose a modification of the micromechanical material model that enables the application of different Young's modulus for austenite and martensite. The corresponding computational model for the application of the micromechanical approach to modeling of superelasticity in shape memory alloys is demonstrated. Material properties for Ni-Ti alloy (50.8 at.% Ni) obtained from literature and from our own experiments were applied to the model and a sample calculation of a 3D model subjected to uniaxial loading was performed. The results were compared to experimental results obtained from tensile and compressive tests. In general the presented model predicts well the level of the superelastic stress plateau and maximum transformation strain in tension. The agreement in compression is worse but the overall characteristics of the tension-compression asymmetry are predicted correctly.

Dans cet article sont présentées des évolutions du modèle RL nécessaires pour larésolution de problèmes de dynamique rapide. Le modèle initial, basé sur le comportementthermomécanique de l’alliage couplé à l’équation de la chaleur, a été implémenté dans lecadre de la dynamique basses fréquences dans des travaux antérieurs. L’utilisation de cemodèle non-linéaire dans le cadre de la dynamique rapide (réponse de la structure à unimpact) conduit à des solutions non physiques ou à des divergences des algorithmesd’intégration temporelle. Ces comportements sont principalement dus aux fortesnon-linéarités des équations régissant les cinétiques de transformation entre les deuxphases du matériau (austénite/martensite). L’adjonction d’un terme lissant dans leséquations différentielles permet de faire converger les algorithmes sans perturber lecomportement du modèle initial. Ce terme, d’un point de vue physique, traduit le fait quela transformation de phase ne se fait pas de façon instantanée, mais à une vitesse depropagation donnée. Les résultats issus d’un calcul éléments-finis considérant unestructure bidimensionnelle soumise à un impact sont présentés.

We present a model of the full thermo-mechanical evolution of a shape memory body undergoing a uniaxial tensile stress. The well-posedness of the related quasi-static thermo-inelastic problem is addressed by means of hysteresis operators techniques. As a by-product, details on a time-discretization of the problem are provided.

L'objectif de cette étude est de faire dialoguer la simulation numérique et l'expérience pour étudier le comportement en traction d'un multicristal en alliage à mémoire de forme de type CuAlBe. Ce dialogue permet de comparer qualitativement les distributions de transformation martensitique, observée à travers un microscope à grande distance frontale, avec celle obtenue par simulation numérique en utilisant une loi de comportement thermomécanique. Cette loi est basée sur la description de la transformation martensitique à l'échelle du réseau cristallin, elle est implantée dans le code Abaqus®. Les conditions aux limites appliquées lors de la modélisation correspondent aux déplacements mesurés sur les sections frontières par une technique de corrélation d'images. Les propriétés géométriques et cristallographiques des différents grains du multicristal sont quantifiées expérimentalement. L'essai de traction est réalisé à température ambiante où l'alliage a un comportement superélastique. Une bonne corrélation entre les observations expérimentales et les résultats numériques est observée.

Gripping of different types of objects with a multi-finger robot hand is a vital task for robot arms. Grippers, which are end effector elements in robot applications, are employed in various industrial operations such as transferring, assembling, welding and painting. However, if a gripper is considered for handling different jobs or to carry different types of parts in an assembly line, a general-purpose robot hand is going to be required. There are various technological actuators of robot hands such as electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic motors, etc. Besides these conventional actuators, it is possible to include Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) in the category of technological actuators. The SMA can give materials motion by moving to a predetermined position, at a specific temperature. The conversion of this motion to a gripping action of the robot hand is the heart of the matter. In this study, a robot hand is developed using Ni-Ti SMA and a set of experiments were performed in order to check the compatibility of the system in an industrial environment.